Identifying Reading Disabilities by Responsiveness-to-Instruction: Specifying Measures and Criteria

First, we describe two types of assessment (problem solving and standard treatment protocol) within a “responsiveness-to-instruction” framework to identify learning disabilities. We then specify two necessary components (measures and classification criteria) to assess responsiveness-to-instruction, and present pertinent findings from two related studies. These studies involve databases at grades 1 and 2, which were analyzed to compare the soundness of alternative methods of assessing instructional responsiveness to identify reading disabilities. Finally, conclusions are drawn and future research is outlined to prospectively and longitudinally explore classification issues that emerged from our analyses.

[1]  T. Conway,et al.  Intensive Remedial Instruction for Children with Severe Reading Disabilities , 2001, Journal of learning disabilities.

[2]  Philip B. Gough,et al.  How children learn to read and why they fail , 1996, Annals of dyslexia.

[3]  D. Speece,et al.  Classification in Context: An Alternative Approach to Identifying Early Reading Disability. , 2001 .

[4]  Lynn S. Fuchs,et al.  Promoting Word Recognition, Fluency, and Reading Comprehension in Young Children , 2005 .

[5]  L. Siegel.  IQ Is Irrelevant to the Definition of Learning Disabilities , 1989, Journal of learning disabilities.

[6]  Lynn S. Fuchs,et al.  Treatment Validity: A Unifying Concept for Reconceptualizing the Identification of Learning Disabilities. , 1998 .

[7]  Lorrie A. Shepard,et al.  Characteristics of Pupils Identified as Learning Disabled , 1983 .

[8]  Edward R. Sipay,et al.  Cognitive profiles of difficult-to-remediate and readily remediated poor readers : Early intervention as a vehicle for distinguishing between cognitive and experiential deficits as basic causes of specific Reading disability , 1996 .

[9]  D. Francis,et al.  Defining Learning and Language Disabilities , 1996 .

[10]  K. A. Heller,et al.  Placing children in special education : a strategy for equity , 1982 .

[11]  Lynn S. Fuchs,et al.  Redefining Learning Disabilities as Inadequate Response to Instruction: The Promise and Potential Problems , 2003 .

[12]  Louis Danielson,et al.  Identification of learning disabilities : research to practice , 2002 .

[13]  Anne E. Fowler,et al.  Cognitive profiles of reading disability: Comparisons of discrepancy and low achievement definitions. , 1994 .

[14]  C. Reynolds,et al.  Critical Measurement Issues in Learning Disabilities , 1984 .

[15]  Deborah C. Simmons,et al.  The Importance and Decision-Making Utility of a Continuum of Fluency-Based Indicators of Foundational Reading Skills for Third-Grade High-Stakes Outcomes , 2001 .

[16]  Sharon Vaughn,et al.  Response to Instruction as a Means of Identifying Students with Reading/Learning Disabilities , 2003 .

[17]  Peter W. Foltz,et al.  Sources of comprehension failure: Theoretical perspectives and case studies. , 1996 .

[18]  S. Deno,et al.  Curriculum-Based Measurement: The Emerging Alternative , 1985, Exceptional children.

[19]  G. Lyon,et al.  Research Initiatives in Learning Disabilities: Contributions from Scientists Supported by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development , 1995, Journal of child neurology.

[20]  M. Suzanne Donovan,et al.  Minority Students in Special and Gifted Education. , 2002 .

[21]  Jack M. Fletcher,et al.  Comprehension and Decoding: Patterns of Association in Children With Reading Difficulties , 1999 .

[22]  Lynn S. Fuchs,et al.  Developing First-Grade Reading Fluency through Peer Mediation , 2001 .

[23]  Lynn S. Fuchs,et al.  Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies: Making Classrooms More Responsive to Diversity , 1997 .

[24]  D. Francis,et al.  Intelligent testing and the discrepancy model for children with learning disabilities. , 1998 .

[25]  Douglas Fuchs,et al.  Responsiveness‐to‐Intervention: Definitions, Evidence, and Implications for the Learning Disabilities Construct , 2003 .

[26]  L. Fuchs,et al.  Treatment Validity as a Unifying Construct for Identifying Learning Disabilities , 2002 .

[27]  Lynn S. Fuchs,et al.  Responding to Nonresponders: An Experimental Field Trial of Identification and Intervention Methods , 2005 .

[28]  Rollanda E. O'Connor,et al.  EARLY IDENTIFICATION AND INTERVENTION FOR YOUNG CHILDREN WITH READING / LEARNING DISABILITIES , 2002 .

[29]  Paul Wehman.  A New Era , 2002 .

[30]  Chester E. Finn,et al.  Rethinking Special Education for a New Century. , 2001 .